Florentine

1 of 2

adjective

Flor·​en·​tine ˈflȯr-ən-ˌtēn 

ˈflär-, 

-ˌtīn

1

a

: of or relating to Florence, Italy

b

: machiavellian

Florentine politics

2

: served or dressed with spinach

poached eggs Florentine

3

: having a matte brushed finish

Florentine gold

Florentine

2 of 2

noun

plural Florentines

1

: a native or inhabitant of Florence and especially of Florence, Italy

2

usually florentine plural florentines : a thin cookie made with almonds and sometimes other nuts (such as pistachios, pecans, or hazelnuts), butter, sugar, and candied fruit and often partially coated with chocolate

What would Christmas be without a plate of chewy, nutty, chocolate-dipped … florentines …

—Silvana Franco

Florentines are one of the first cookies I made beyond … chocolate chip cookies. … I remember being fascinated by the very thin, almost glass-like consistency of the cookie, which seemed so fancy compared to anything else I had baked.

—Zoë François

Examples of Florentine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Main course choices are lobster quiche Florentine served with a Fuji apple salad, roasted avocado and crab cake on brioche toast, or steak and eggs with potatoes au gratin and redeye gravy. — Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 6 May 2023

The eclectic style playing on naturalistic cues combined with graphic motifs stems from a creative process in which the Florentine artist-designer explores the possibilities of marks and materials. — Elle Decor Editors, ELLE Decor, 20 Apr. 2023

Noun

The food is just this wonderful sort of cross between Florentine and Roman and Abruzzo. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 May 2026

He’s turned up in videos with two of LSU’s bombshell female athletes, Olivia Dunne and Florentine Dekkers. — Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 11 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Medieval Latin Flōrentīnus, from Flōrentia florence + Latin -īnus -ine entry 1

Noun

Middle English Florentyn, borrowed from Medieval Latin Flōrentīnus, noun derivative of Flōrentīnus "of Florence, florentine entry 1"

First Known Use

Adjective

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Florentine

• acridine
• acrolein
• adenine
• alkylene
• aniline
• anthracene
• aquiline
• asphaltene
• atlantean
• atrazine
• butadiene
• butylene